Jharkhand’s Sohrai art gets makeover for wider appeal

A recent journey to the GI Fair India Expo and Mart 2023 in Noida unveiled an enchanting revelation. Amidst the bustling event, the Sohrai art of Jharkhand emerged, not on traditional canvases but in the graceful form of sarees, transcending its rural origins to captivate a broader audience. Jharkhand, nestled in the cultural mosaic of… Continue reading Jharkhand’s Sohrai art gets makeover for wider appeal

The flame of Ujjwala burns strong

Ranju Devi would spend many hours a day collecting firewood for cooking. This was followed by more hours spent over the chulha amid clouds of smoke. When news of the Ujjwala scheme reached her village, she applied for the concessional liquid petroleum gas (LPG) connection.  The easy-to-use gas stove received with the connection got a… Continue reading The flame of Ujjwala burns strong

Planting palm trees to prevent lightning strike deaths

According to the Annual Lightning Report, Odisha tops the list of states with the most number of deaths caused by lightning. The Odisha government has declared lightning strikes as a state-specific disaster.  To counter the problem, environmentalist Subhransu Satpathy from Dhenkanal district has taken up the task of reviving the practice of planting palm trees. … Continue reading Planting palm trees to prevent lightning strike deaths

Kashmiri Muslims preserve ancient Shiva temple

Pulwama presents a paradox in paradise, despite its turbulent history tied to the region’s long insurgency since the 1990s. This district in south Kashmir has an eternal appeal with visitors seeking solace in its rolling rice and saffron fields, meadows, meandering ravines, and evergreen-forested valleys. Adding a splash of ancient spirituality completes the picture-perfect postcard… Continue reading Kashmiri Muslims preserve ancient Shiva temple

A day at Pushkar camel fair

A whirlwind trip. A storm of emotions. A day spent at Pushkar during the annual camel festival is too less to soak in the vibe of the holy town in Rajasthan, and yet offers an overwhelming swirl of experiences. From an early morning visit to the Brahma temple to the late-night jaunt to the fair… Continue reading A day at Pushkar camel fair

Visit Kutch’s colourful craft village Nirona

In the scorching heat of Kutchi summers, where the relentless sun creates squiggly mirages and the arid land thirsts for water, creativity blooms, and the locals innovate with materials and textiles, giving birth to craft forms synonymous with Gujarat. At the heart of this vibrant kaleidoscope lies Nirona, the craft village of Kutch. Here, amidst… Continue reading Visit Kutch’s colourful craft village Nirona

Rural entrepreneur empowers other women in UP

Nighsan, a village in Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh, looks like any other Indian village. But in the heart of Nighsan lives rural entrepreneur Meera – affectionately addressed as Meera didi in the village. Meera too may appear like a typical rural woman mired in poverty. On the contrary, she worked hard to overcome her… Continue reading Rural entrepreneur empowers other women in UP

Creating art with pebbles

During his school days, Ahmad used to experiment with watercolour and sketching. However, it was during his treks to the beautiful mountains of his district that he discovered his true inspiration. The coloured stones he saw along the trekking routes fascinated him, leading him to begin practising this form of art with pebbles. Using a… Continue reading Creating art with pebbles

Nainital villagers use local oak to contain wildfires

Wildfires fuelled by the wax-coated needles of the invasive pine trees are a recurring tale during the pre-monsoon dry months in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand. Like “little fires everywhere”, they repeat so often that they are seldom considered newsworthy. These never make national headlines unlike, for instance, the 2016 forest fires in the state… Continue reading Nainital villagers use local oak to contain wildfires

Kholey Dai: It takes a village to host this festival

What brings a community together? A common purpose. Check. Desire to make things happen. Check. A cohesive and planned approach. Check. The people of Parengtar, a village located near the India-Bhutan border in West Bengal, have been able to tick all the boxes. And the result is the Kholey Dai festival that will unfold in… Continue reading Kholey Dai: It takes a village to host this festival

Schoolgirls raise their voice successfully against prejudice

Girls would do anything for money – that is the essence of what a male teacher in a girls’ school in a village near Gurugram repeatedly told his students. But he was proven wrong. Here’s how.  In 2022, a remarkable story unfolded at the Senior Government Secondary School in Bhora Kalan village, situated 30 km… Continue reading Schoolgirls raise their voice successfully against prejudice

The Irula tribe of Tamil Nadu and their sacred stones

The Irula tribe residing in the Nilgiris region of Tamil Nadu places great value on the practice of ancestor worship. A Scheduled Tribe, they believe that they cohabit their land with their ancestors, with the latter believed to reside within each seemai – the Irulas’ geographic classification. As a symbolic representation of this belief, they… Continue reading The Irula tribe of Tamil Nadu and their sacred stones

These kids are bringing back house sparrows to their village

In the enchanting proximity of Tamil Nadu’s newest bird sanctuary lies a quaint neighbourhood called Thanthai Periyar Kudiyiruppu, a realm where the ceaseless trill of house sparrows that once graced the landscape had gone quiet. But not quite. Here, a heartening tale of environmental awareness and community action has unfolded, with children from this rural… Continue reading These kids are bringing back house sparrows to their village

Anusha’s full toss from Andhra village to Team India

At just 21 years of age, Anusha Bareddy Malli from Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, stands as a promising left-arm all-rounder, recently earning her spot in Team India’s roster. Here’s an account of her journey in her own words. I grew up in Bandlapalli, a small village in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. My parents, Lakshmi Devi… Continue reading Anusha’s full toss from Andhra village to Team India

City student’s eye-opening account of village trip

Nestled amid fields known for producing golden wheat and yellow mustard flowers lies the village of Jewar Khader. As I entered the village, located in Jewar tehsil of Gautam Buddha Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, vignettes of ordinary life unfolded before me like chapters from a forgotten tale. The visit was part of a day-long… Continue reading City student’s eye-opening account of village trip

We just discovered a hidden gem in Darjeeling

The British left long ago, leaving a hidden gem a mere 28 km from Darjeeling, but far removed from the bustling touristy town they built to escape the summer heat of Bengal’s plains. It’s a tranquil village known as Takdah, and its legacy lives on, preserved in mist, mountains, and memories of an era long… Continue reading We just discovered a hidden gem in Darjeeling

Kashmir’s walnut harvesters are in danger

Kashmir is home to thousands of walnut farms producing lakhs of tonnes of fresh and organic walnuts annually. While agriculture sustains numerous families, the joy of harvesting turns tragic for walnut farmers in Kashmir. The hazardous practice of thrashing walnuts has led to unfortunate accidents – fatalities, injuries, and disabilities. Over the past three years,… Continue reading Kashmir’s walnut harvesters are in danger

This transwoman empowers children through education

Smiley Thabu, a 31-year-old transwoman, who endured bullying and abuse, strives to give children from marginalised communities a boost in life. Read about Thabu’s story – in her own words. I am a Muslim transwoman and live in Neelankarai village in Kanchipuram district, on the outskirts of Chennai city in Tamil Nadu. My school years… Continue reading This transwoman empowers children through education

Sikkim’s chhaang losing race in fast lane of spirits

The beauty of Sikkim is as heady as its Himalayan landscape and peaks. Equally intoxicating is the highland’s traditional drink – chhaang, fermented usually by women using techniques dating back centuries in Sikkim. But the beverage brewed from either finger millet, barley, or rice is gradually losing both its creators and consumers. What sets chhaang… Continue reading Sikkim’s chhaang losing race in fast lane of spirits

How written words got her family a new house

Hidden in the Himalayan valley of Bageshwar district in Uttarakhand lies my village, Ganigaon. With a population of about 800, the area transforms into a scenic hillside during the monsoon season. The landscape turns all the more idyllic.  However, for the residents of this underdeveloped village, rains mean a threat to their lives. Every year,… Continue reading How written words got her family a new house